AMBIENT MUSIC RESOURCES

Welcome to the dreamSTATE Ambient Links Page, created to help expand ambient music consciousness and culture.
The emphasis is on significant global ambient / electronic / experimental music resources plus the Toronto scene.
(Bookmark this page as your start-point for regular ambient music explorations.)

Global Ambient Music Resources | The Toronto Ambient Scene | Webrings | dreamSTATE Associates

GLOBAL AMBIENT MUSIC RESOURCES

Ambience for the Masses ~ An extensive ambient music archive with lots of reviews and cross-referenced artist and album listings plus streaming-audio ambient music mixes. The site is currently "sleeping" as it hasn't had an update since 2009. (It's still a great resource though.)

AmbientMusicGuide ~ This useful site (formerly Chillout) from broadcaster/writer/musician Mike G features reviews, stations to hear ambient music on the radio and internet (with a discussion of serious problems currently faced by internet radio broadcasters), links to other review sites and online ambient CD sellers, plus a personal essay "History Of Ambient".

The Ambient Music Mailing List ~ "Information and discussion pertaining to all forms of ambient music, from Brian Eno's Ambient series to environmental sound effects recordings, from The Orb's ambient dub to Jim O'Rourke's ambient industrial drones." This link takes you to an information page which will tell you how to subscribe.

AmbiEntrance ~ One of the best ambient review sites shut down at the end of 2003 - but all the site's information up to the end of 2001 is still available at this link. (Don't click on the logo or follow the link to ambientrance.org - as their domain name has expired and you'll just get junk. Use the calendar on the left or the links to the archived materials at the bottom.) AmbiEntrance featured monthly ambient, electronic and experimental music reviews, overviews and interviews. (2002 and 2003 issues of AmbiEntrance can be read by using this link to the Wayback Machine.)

THE AMBiENT PiNG ~ The site for this long-running live ambient, chillout and experimental music event in Toronto features current PiNG Events, many artist links and a complete performance schedule back to 1999. The PiNG's sister-site ping things offers many new and hard to find ambient albums plus the ping things label with select free & legal download albums and album streaming.

Ambient Radio Programs: ~ Internet Radio with significant ambient music programming:
~ Stillstream ~ Echoes ~ Star's End ~ Drone Zone @ somaFM ~ the.zzzone ~ Ambient.us ~ Galactic Travels ~ AM/FM Show ~

The Ambient Review ~ A quality live journal devoted to ambient reviews by Brian Bieniowski and Gurdonark, written from the non-musician-listener's point of view. The site has, sadly not had updates since 2007 but remains an excellent archive resource for ambient music reviews.

The Ambient Way ~ A Yahoo-based group discussion list, "dedicated to Pure Ambient Space Landscape Music". Many artists participate in the list and fans are encouraged to speak out and discuss the music and various Ambient styles.

Ambient Visions ~ This extensive website, hosted by Michael Foster, contains a wealth of reviews, news, articles, links and artist interviews with contributions from a wide variety of writers. The site is definitely worthy of regular visits.

Disquiet ~ "Reflections on ambient/electronic music, and interviews with the people who make it." This site has an elegant style, good links and a reviews section for ambient and electronica). Regularly updated, this site rewards return visits.

E.E.R. Ambient ~ Edited by John W. Patterson, the full name of the site is Eclectic Earwig Reviews (but don't let that spook you). This link jumps you safely into the ambient music section with reviews (of course) and interviews. (This page has not been updated for a while and is a bit of a slow download due to its graphics-laden style.)

e/i magazine ~ "As of January 2009, e/i Magazine has officially ceased operations. There will be no further Audio Verité postings of reviews/updates or content. The site itself will remain active and viewable, however, for the foreseeable future." This quality online publication focused on the historical and contemporary milieus of electronic and experimental music - with extensive coverage of ambient and drone.

Electroambient Space ~ "The Discerning Guide to Instrumental Electronic Music - No techno or trance, no jazz or new age, no avant garde or classical, no vocals - just electronic, ambient, space music." This site by Phil Derby features reviews, interviews and some fun "features" (spotlights, "Best Of" lists and such) covering its proclaimed sonic territory. In August 2010 Phil announced "After doing reviews more or less continuously for the past 15 years, I am taking a much-needed break." and that has remained the last update.

EM Portal ~ This link directs you to the Ambient and Space section of this new electronic music forum which has stepped up after the closing of the EM Forum. Be sure to follow your other EM interests into the other sections of the site.

epsilon ~ An ambient music archive with a significant links page to sites for ambient artists, labels and other ambient music related sites (though link updates were frozen in January 2001). This is the original major ambient music site and hosts EnoWeb - the primary Brian Eno resource on the web. (Brian coined the term "Ambient Music".).

Furthernoise ~ An "online platform for the creation, promotion, criticism and archiving of innovative cross genre music and sound art for the information & interaction of the public and artists alike. Furthernoise encourages new methodologies and practices in creating adventurous music and sound that is not bound by the constraints of historically experimental genres." Furthernoise is a rich source of well-written, erudite reviews and essays plus a net label, radio program.

The Hunger Site ~ Nothing to do with ambient music. Help feed the hungry with only a click of your mouse. Just a reminder to click it today and put it at the top of your bookmarks. This site also contains The Rainforest Site to help save a patch of the rainforest with a click of the button. Thanks.

Hypnagogue ~ Host John Shanahan declares "These are a listener's reviews, not a musician's. There's no presumption of technical understanding or an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of the genre. It's all about what the music does." The reviews "cover the spectrum of electronic music, from drifting ambient to experimental to dance-club grooves".

Hypnos Forum ~ Hosted by the venerable ambient label Hypnos, this forum also covers ambient music and artists from other labels and a spectrum of related offtopics. Frequented by many key ambient artists and reviewers, this forum is a wealth of facts and opinions.

igloo magazine ~ Active since December 2000, their site states that "Igloo Magazine is an electronic music e’zine publishing articles about current, classic and upcoming music from around the globe. Our mission is to introduce readers to the burgeoning undergrowth of electronic musicians by covering a wide range of genres including ambient, experimental, dub, dubstep, shoegaze, electro, techno, drone, IDM, industrial, post-industrial, and all the debris in between." The well-written reviews are a great source of information about cutting-edge ambient music varieties.

Miscellaneous Key Ambient Links: ~ Brian Eno's original definition of Ambient Music ~ Soundscape Composition (from an academic viewpoint).

Morpheus Music ~ This link takes you right to the Ambient Music Reviews section within the main Morpheus Music website. Explore the whole site for reviews, interviews, news, links, and charts which also cover Chillout, Electronica, Enigmatic/New Age, Vocal and Worldbeat.

Music For A New Age ~ A wide variety of links for New Age and related musics (lots of ambient): artists, record companies, radio stations and web stations plus a New Age FAQs section. The site has not been updated for quite some time (there's lots of references to the extinct mp3.com and such) but is a useful resource.

The Philadelphia Ambient Consortium ~ A site dedicated to the City Of Brotherly Love's ambient and experimental music scene, curated by Aharon Varady. This is an outstanding local site - Bravo!

rec.music.ambient ~ An ambient music oriented newsgroup (actually covering all sorts of electronica) - with postings from ambient/electronic aficionados, newbies, artists, labels, magazines and radio programs.

Stillstream ~ This vital independent internet station gets special mention as it features regular live hosts and a chatroom where you can interact with the host and other ambient music fans and explorers. (Many ambient artists participate.) There's also extensive links, playlists and a deep archive of (legal) live performances available for download.

Wind and Wire ~ Bill Binkelman's well respected music publication "mapping the frontier of electronic and acoustic music" evolved into an impressive and extensive internet site and now into a blog as Wind and Wire evolved with the times. Check in for his latest deep and thoughful reviews.

Global Ambient Music Resources | The Toronto Ambient Scene | Webrings | dreamSTATE Associates

TORONTO Ambient/Electronic/Experimental LINKS

THE AMBiENT PiNG ~ Running for over a decade, the PiNG is the place where Toronto's ambient artists and artists from across the continent perform for an open minded ambient music audience in a laid-back club atmosphere with a true stereo PA. Every event is a unique ambient experience and the PiNG has become a must for ambient music fans throughout the Toronto Area. The website is a great window into the Toronto scene for global ambient aficionados - with concepts, photos, the latest event locations and complete schedules (with extensive photos) from the first show in August 1999 into the future. Join The Ambient Ping's e-mail list to be kept up-to-date on their latest concert plans or search for "ambientping" to follow in Twitter.

Buy albums by Toronto ambient, chill-out & experimental artists at the PiNG's sister-site ping things which offers many new and hard to find ambient works plus the ping things label with select free and legal download albums and album streaming.

I/O Media ~ A collaborative collective of sound and video artists exploring real-time performance in an improvised construction that is reminiscent of 1960's free-jazz. They're home base is the InterAcess Gallery - a unique combination of exhibition space and production facilities providing a public forum for the development and discussion of artistic practices involving interactivity, networked and remote connection, and the interface of the physical and the virtual.

The Music Gallery is a publicly assisted centre for the creation and performance of new music and music-related arts. They support the creation, performance and production of work in contemporary concert music, original, experimental or free jazz, ethnocentric musics, electroacoustic or electronic music work involving mixed or experimental media and performance arts. Their current residence is at St George the Martyr Anglican Church - 197 John Street.

Planet of the Loops ~ A floating improvisational ensemble organized by Andrew Aldridge and made up of musicians with various "looping" devices. In most performances the 3 or 4 musicians have never played as a group before and may not have even met until the night of the performance. Ambient excursions are often the result and in 2002 the Planet begin regular performances at THE AMBiENT PiNG. This site features POTLoops events, philosophy and info.

SoundList ~ Join the Soundlist weekly e-mail list to keep up-to-date on free-improvisation, experimental music and sound art events in the Toronto area.

vague terrain ~ An elegant web-based quarterly publication showcasing work from various national and international artists, musicians and writers. The site features a complete archives and a continuing journal. vague terrain also presents live art showcases on a semi-regular basis with a blend of aural and visual work.

wavelength ~ An excellent weekly Sunday night live music performance series with art installations, a monthly zine, a DJ showcase plus lightshows, currently in residence at Sneaky Dee's - 431 College St. A number of ambient and experimental performers are featured in their very eclectic lineups.

Global Ambient Music Resources | The Toronto Ambient Scene | Webrings | dreamSTATE Associates

WEBRINGS

Sara Ayers ~ Etherial vocal and electronic sound artist, based in Albany, NY, creates haunting soundscapes and curates the Loop Sanctuary performance series.

Perren Baker ~ Recordist, Calrec Soundfield consultant and head of CD mastering at Natural Sound.

Alan Bloor ~ Pholde is the ambient side of Alan Bloor (who is also known for his extreme noise project called Knurl) Alan creates ambient soundscapes by the bowing and scraping of self-created metal sound-sculptures with other metal objects.

dreamSTATE at MySpace ~ If MySpace is still orbiting, then this is where you'll find dreamSTATE.

dreamSTATE at SoundClick ~ dreamSTATE's little acre on the SoundClick site. Also have a listen to Scott M2's a m b i e n c e "stations" - compilation albums of various ambient and chillout artists with tracks on SoundClick.

Jim Field ~ aka spacenoize - Guitarist and experimental soundscaper from Rhea's Obsession and still coiled.

General Chaos Visuals ~ dreamSTATE's favourite ambient visualists specialize in organic pure analogue projections.

Mario Georgiou ~ Digital designer, photographer, artist and ally - now working out of London, England.

Lynn Harrigan ~ Poet whose most recent projects have involved collaboration with musicians and visual artists, ranging from haiku/art exhibits to radio art recorded with dreamSTATE.

Susanna Hood ~ Vocal sound artist, looping artist, dancer and choreographer, Susanna is a member of FaMished AMerica and LiminaL Projects and founded humdansoundart.

Wally Jericho ~ He's the man with the horn, the bass, the sampler, the effects and the loops - See what's up with multitalented ambient artist Wally J.

James Johnson ~ Deep ambient electronic artist from the Chicago area, architect and founder (with Vir Unis) of the AtmoWorks label.

karmafarm ~ Homesite for Steven Sauve's ambient electronic project with text, gearpics and soundfiles.

mara's torment ~ The dark ambient and groove project of rik maclean (also of metro starman and earotica).

Steve McCabe ~ Poet and visual artist with an adventurous approach to multi-media collaborations.

Dana Moore - RMT ~ Harpist, musical therapist, Registered Massage Therapist and natural healer. Scott M2's sister and continuing inspiration.

cheryl o ~ Experimental, improvisational cellist with chops, effects, loopers and an adventurous attitude.

Oophoi ~ Well-respected Italian ambient artist Gianluigi Gasparetti is also the founder of the Umbra and Penumbra labels.

Stephen Philips - Prolific ambient artist (aka DeepChill Network), head of Dark Duck Records and editor of Ambient Poetry.com.

David Pritchard ~ Electronic musician, painter, documentary radio creator, revolutionary radio DJ and inspiration.

Michael Rockwood ~ Ambient experimental electric guitarist and artist.

Paula Skimin ~ Tap dancer and artistic director of Turn on the Tap.

Styrohead ~ The home site for ambient electronic space music producer Joe G's Styrohead project.

Kurt Swinghammer ~ Guitarist, singer/songwriter, artist, video art director, electronic experimentalist and more.

Sylken ~ The ambient electronic project of dreamSTATE's longtime electronic comrade Eric Hopper.

Twisted Pair Visuals ~ Hyperactive, interactive digital visual duo who slowed things down for the dreamSTATE set at Loop Sanctuary: The Art of the Dreamscape on their home turf in Albany, New York.

URM ~ The soft-synth soundscape project for dreamSTATE's Jamie Todd.